BALTIMORE — For postgame analysis of the Tampa Bay Rays’ dirty bullpen, we turn to one of their own players, left-hander Jake Diekman.
Colin Poche: “20-inch carry-on luggage on his heater.”
Shawn Armstrong: “Nine different pitches.”
Robert Stephenson: “97, whenever he wants.”
Pete Fairbanks: “A psycho who throws 100.”
Well, that’s one way to sum it up. Here’s another: Leading by twelve, down by twelve with seven strikeouts to secure perhaps the Rays’ biggest win of the season, a 4-3 road victory over the Orioles in the first of four games between the American League’s top two teams.
The Orioles still hold a one-game lead in the AL East and need just one win in the series to prevail in the tiebreaker. But the Rays’ bullpen, which hasn’t allowed an earned run in 34 consecutive innings, gives them an edge over the Orioles and perhaps every other AL contender.
However, the Orioles’ bullpen is still quite good, even without All-Star closer Felix Bautista, who is likely out for the season with a partially torn UCL. The team ranks second in the majors only to the Yankees in bullpen ERA, including an impressive 3.13 mark since losing Bautista on August 25. But this is the time of year when momentum matters. And the Rays’ penalty box hasn’t allowed an earned run in 11 days.
Before Thursday night’s game, Rays manager Kevin Cash was worried about having to use Poche for 20 pitches, Armstrong for 15 and Stephenson for three pitches to secure a 5-4 victory over the Twins the day before. Cash said he and other team officials spent nearly two weeks talking about keeping their bullpen fresh for the Baltimore series. However, the helpers themselves seem less worried. “You know what’s at stake right now,” Cash said. “The message they gave me and especially (pitching coach) Kyle (Snyder) is that they are ready to go.”
Colin Poche, who pitches here on August 1, has as many wins as Clayton Kershaw and Aaron Nola. (Brad Penner/USA Today)
Therefore, the left-handed Poche was the first choice to replace the Rays’ right-handed starter Aaron Civale with the score tied 3-3 in the sixth inning. Poche struck out two in a perfect inning, and after Luke Raley’s home run gave the Rays the lead in the seventh, he wound up with his 12th win.
Most observers of the game no longer consider victories to be particularly significant. Poche called his total “just an interesting, weird little statistic” and acknowledged that it was the result of the Rays’ many close games, an offense that tends to recover in the late innings and the quality of relievers behind him.
Yet Poche now has as many wins as Clayton Kershaw and Aaron Nola, among others, not to mention three more than any other substitute. And his manager and teammates find the whole thing hilarious.
“Is he ready for Cy Young?” Cash cracked.
When Fairbanks was asked if the Rays honored Poche as player of the game at the team meeting they held after each win, he deadpanned: “We have a new policy in place for pitching MVP. This means that if you achieve a victory, you are the player of the game. With Poche looking to catch the American League leaders, it was a fair decision.”
Armstrong followed Poche with a perfect seventh and lowered his season ERA to 0.77. It was Armstrong’s 13th consecutive appearance without allowing an earned run. He extended his home run streak to 38 2/3 innings. And then he was replaced by Stephenson, a backup who might be even hotter.
The Rays acquired Stephenson on June 2 from the Pirates for infielder Alika Williams, whom they drafted 37th overall in 2020. Stephenson was surprised by the deal and said with a smile, “I didn’t know you could be traded so early.” But Rays officials were convinced that Stephenson could be better than any replacement players they could bring in at the deadline. and they were right.
Stephenson has thrown 12 consecutive scoreless innings since August 9, allowing just two hits and one intentional strikeout walk, er, 22. His whiff rate since joining the Rays is about 50 percent, best in the majors in this period of time. at least 100 curved rope lengths.
Anyone who follows the sport shouldn’t be remotely surprised that a reliever who had a 5.14 ERA with the Pirates has turned into a monster with a 2.36 ERA with the Rays. Diekman, released by the White Sox on May 6 and signed by the Rays four days later, is also experiencing a typical Tampa Bay turnaround. His walk rate remains high, but his ERA since joining the team is 2.50 in 39 2/3 innings. For the White Sox it was 7.94 in 11 1/3.
Stephenson said the Rays were pretty easy on him for a week, but then Snyder told him the team wanted to see more speed on his slider. The club recommended that Stephenson adjust his hand position so that he could get behind the ball more than around it. Voila! According to Statcast, the velocity on Stephenson’s slider has increased by almost a full tick, improving from 84.6 mph for the Pirates to 85.3 mph for the Rays.
Poche threw 14 shots Thursday night, Armstrong 19 and Stephenson 12. Fairbanks needed just 12 to lead the team in the ninth and make his 24th save in 26 chances. Deeper starts from Zach Eflin, Tyler Glasnow and Zack Littell in the final three games of the series would help lighten the load on the bullpen. The same goes for an offensive outburst or two.
However, the Rays expect their games against the Orioles to be close. Cash knows he has to lead the group as best he can. Jason Adam’s return from a mild left oblique strain will provide a boost, but that will likely be a week away.
For now, the Rays’ relievers are simply enjoying their current dominance without much talk about it in the bullpen.
“Our concentration for most of the game isn’t great,” Fairbanks joked.
Reporters laughed at that comment, but Fairbanks turned serious when asked why the Rays’ bullpen was so good.
“There’s a lot of good talent down there,” he said. “When you have weapons like this attacking the strike zone, you have the ability to do what you want, when you want to do it.”
It happened on Thursday evening. This happens most of September. And it leaves Rays opponents with no answers.
(Top photo by Pete Fairbanks: Rob Carr / Getty Images)